


Needing You

by SpoonDance



Category: Coronation Street
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-18
Updated: 2015-01-18
Packaged: 2018-03-08 01:10:24
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,871
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3190193
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SpoonDance/pseuds/SpoonDance
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sophie's in a haze of fear as she hears of the crash. Companion piece to "Loving You".</p>
            </blockquote>





	Needing You

Sighing as she closed the door, Sophie retreated back into the living room, falling onto the couch. A smile still played at her lips, both at the sight of a done-up Maddie and the fact that her girlfriend would have to deal with her mum that night. She was happy Maddie was going out, it was sort of a big deal for the girl even if she didn't directly say so. But she could tell.

As much as part of her would have liked to go with her, Sophie was glad Maddie got to go do this with her co-workers; have fun, bond more perhaps, but just generally be included. She loved how Maddie was settling more and more into her lifelong home. Loved seeing Maddie walk down the streets leisurely, not running or defensive. Loved hearing about her going out to lunch with the factory bunch. Loved how people were starting to really see _Maddie._

It left a warm glow in her chest she just couldn't get rid of. Not that she wanted to.

 

.o.o.o.

 

_Sophie grinned as she made her way back home. Dev had told her to take the day off -something about him wanting the distraction and her taking on more shifts lately or something- all she really cared about was having a day free of work. A day she could spend with Maddie since she had the day off as well. And with Kevin working, they'd have a quiet house to themselves to enjoy._

_Walking through the front door, body warming with the heat of the house as well as the thought of curling up with her girlfriend, Sophie heard Maddie call out._

“ _Hello?”_

“ _Hey, babe,” she replied as she kicked her shoes off, moving into the living room._

_Maddie sat coiled up on the couch, a mug of tea in her hands(probably her second by now), hair up in a messy bun, and a questioning look on her face. A real stunner._

“ _Dev gave me the day off.”_

_Maddie's face melted into a smile and Sophie's heart followed. “That mean I get you to myself today?”_

“ _Yup!” She wished it could be everyday. But everyday she was Maddie's. Even if she had to share her with the world. She leaned over the back of the couch, pressing a kiss to Maddie's cheek as she took her cup of tea. Sipping it, she made a face and looked down at Maddie._

_Sophie loved being able to see Maddie turn sheepish and the little shrug she gave told her that Maddie knew the tea wasn't great. Sophie laughed and rolled her eyes._

“ _I'll go make you a proper cup.”_

_Maddie grinned and shouted a “You're amazing!” after her as she walked to the kitchen._

_She quickly set about making tea to Maddie's liking. They took their tea a bit differently but Sophie always found it amusing that Maddie didn't herself know how she liked it. Sophie had slowly learned by watching and judging Maddie's reaction to her tea. The girl would drink any cup given her but Sophie wouldn't settle for good enough, she wanted Maddie to enjoy it. So she got it down to a science. She was rather proud of herself. And her heart fluttered knowing this small, intimate detail about her girlfriend._

_It wasn't until she brought Maddie her tea and the girl stretched out to grab it that she noticed. Maddie was wearing one of her sweatshirts. One of her comfy ones she wore around at night or days in. She raised her brow at it and Maddie followed her eyes and there was that shyness again._

_Maddie shrugged, flustered and squirming as she seemed to be looking for an explanation that wasn't what they both knew was the truth. And Sophie breathed in a sweet breath._

“ _So you wear my clothes a lot without askin'?” she teased._

_The blushing -yes,_ blushing _\- girl rolled her eyes and looked away. “No.” A pause, Sophie just waiting. “Okay, so I like the smell of 'em when you're working all day and I'm stuck here.”_

_She was grumpily adjusting in her seat, she hated being caught being, well, being cute Sophie thought. But the scrunched up nose and hiding behind her mug just made her all the more adorable to her and Sophie couldn't help but chuckle._

_Leaning down, she kissed Maddie's temple. “I think it's sweet.” Maddie mumbled and sunk further into the couch. Sophie ran her hand over the fabric of her sweatshirt at Maddie's shoulder. “And you can wear 'em whenever you like, but...” she tugged at the fabric lightly. “I think it'd be best if you take it off now.”_

_Maddie turned to her looking confused until Sophie tilted her head, smirking and then Maddie's eyes were wide and she was eager to stand up. Sophie laughed as she pulled her girlfriend around the couch into a lazy kiss. They had all day. And she couldn't be happier._

 

.o.o.o.

 

It wasn't clear when exactly they'd return home but Sophie didn't care. She would stay up even well into the morning for Maddie to come home. She wanted to hear all about the other's night, wanted to judge her appearance to see what level of fun and annoyance the night had given her. But mostly, she had made a promise that Maddie would enjoy her night home.

The patterns they'd fallen into, quiet and deep in ways Sophie couldn't even explain, settled her very being. Walking around the street, footfalls aligned, chatting comfortably. Curled up, sat next to each other on the couch as they and her dad watch some show. Making, eating, and cleaning up meals. Bickering and laughing and cheeky grins. Arguments and comfort and touches. It all had become a new intricate design in her life. And it was beautiful.

For all it took to get to such a comfortable, yet still -ever- curious and striking point between the two of them was almost breathtaking. She was glad she had kept after the girl. She was glad the girl had somehow seen something in her that allowed her take a chance on her. She was glad because of Maddie. Of having her in her life at all.

Her phone rang and she answered distractedly.

 

.o.o.o.

 

_There was that stretch again. Maddie had been trying to subtly stretch out her back every so often. It started a day ago but she thought nothing of it. Now she was doing it more frequently though and Sophie thought she must have a tight back that was bothering her. But Maddie being Maddie didn't say anything._

_Setting up for another movie night, Sophie decided she had enough. Maddie didn't need to be uncomfortable and aching just because she wouldn't complain and ask for something to help. She figured Maddie was used to the aches and pains of strain throughout her life and didn't think much of it. But that was going to end. She'd make sure of it._

_When Maddie made to sit on the couch next to her after starting the film, Sophie stopped her and directed her to the floor in front of her._

“ _What, now I'm not allowed on the furniture?” Maddie quipped with a look that said 'What the hell, Sophie?'_

_But Sophie just rolled her eyes and gestured again. “Just sit down, Maddie.”_

_Huffing, Maddie plopped down in front of her and leant back against Sophie's knees. Sophie rested her hands on Maddie's shoulders and Maddie went to turn around, probably to ask her what she was doing, when she started to press her thumbs into her muscles. Maddie tensed a moment but Sophie was gentle and she quickly relaxed beneath her fingers. Sophie realized Maddie's probably never had a massage before and it's a whole other level of trust and openness and Sophie can't help but feel honored that the girl so easily allowed her._

_Maddie's muscles were tight and Sophie felt an ache in her heart knowing this soft, compassionate girl had such a rough life. She swore she'd work the knots out and do everything in her power to keep Maddie happy and relaxed. And when she wasn't, she'd be there to soothe the frayed nerves and smooth out the knots._

_Working at a particularly tough spot, Maddie let out a moan and a heat rushed through Sophie at the sound. She stamped it down though. Now was not the time._

_Her hands worked evenly over Maddie's back, across her shoulders, down her arms, up her neck to her scalp. Digging fingers, rubbing palms, and even breaths. She could feel Maddie becoming loose and drooping like she does when she's trying to stay awake at night. As the movie played on and on, neither of them really caring or paying much attention, Sophie gently pulled Maddie's head into her lap, letting the girl adjust her position to get comfortable. She scratched through her scalp and then kneaded her temples, moving down along her jaw and across her features drawing out hums and sighs from the girl Sophie couldn't believe rested so easily in her hands._

_Maddie made her feel safe. Sure, the girl could be cheeky, reckless, gobby and knows how to get on her nerves, but she's never felt so secure in a relationship before. It took awhile, of course, but there was a natural ease to them that lulled her heart and calmed her mind of worries and panic. She wanted to do the same for Maddie._

_As her fingers glided across cheekbones, soft eyes flickered open and they slowed to a stillness that became loud with love. Her thumbs stroked over freckled cheeks as she saw the girl swallow thickly._

“ _Thank you.” And the words meant so much more._

“ _Of course.”_

_They shared a sweet, relaxed smile._

_'Of course I'll take care of you. Of course I'll love you. Of course I'll keep your gentlest moments safe.'_

 

.o.o.o.

 

This place again. Why here again?

Hear heart was raging to watch the onslaught of fear and confusion and panic in her mind. She felt her very being quake as she moved through the halls she was growing tired of. Urges to run jolted through her but she felt she'd fall if she even attempted it.

Where would she run even if she could? She didn't know where either of them were. Neither her mother nor her Maddie.

Her Mads.

 

.o.o.o.

 

_It started some time after Maddie began working at the factory and Eckles was safely back at home. Maddie would have to go to work earlier than her most days so Sophie would sleep in sometimes, Maddie slipping out of her arms and their bed and getting ready for the day._

_It was simple. It just said_ 'Text me when you wake?'  _A little post-it stuck to her phone she found when she woke up. But it wasn't just the thoughtful nature of the message, Maddie clearly not wanting to disturb her sleep too early, but it was the_ 'Your Mads'  _scrawled_ _at the bottom that got her._

_It was unexpected and loving in such a Maddie way. Because Maddie didn't voice her feelings much, or her intimate thoughts, and Sophie understood and didn't need grand words or love sonnets. She just wanted Maddie. That didn't mean she didn't cherish the moments where Maddie was all but baring her heart. She did, held them dear and used them to strengthen the wounded heart of her past._

_But seeing those words written... That was something else. It was a physical record of this feeling, this connection and her stomach tumbled and tumbled and tumbled. Because only she called her Mads, for her to sign with it... -tumbling and tumbling - ...and Maddie never said such things as “I'm yours” and it wasn't something she needed to add to the note. But she did. She could see a hesitation in the pen stroke and knew it meant just as much to Maddie to write it as it did to her to see it._

_The notes had been a regular occurrence after that. Always a short word about tea or something needed from the store or if she wanted to meet for lunch. Some days, usually after a night spent tangled in sheets and laughing as the air cooled around them, it would be a cute message:_ 'Don't work too hard', 'You've got to practice being quieter', 'Bed hog', 'You're amazing'.  _And each was signed with_ 'Your Mads', _the lines becoming firm and sure as each note appeared._

_She saved them all; since the very first. She'd slipped them into her books or magazines at first, randomly coming across them again later and smiling widely. But she started stashing them in a small box on her shelf, realizing they would keep coming and she wanted to hold onto each and every one._

_A recent one shocked her to her core. In a pleasant, very welcome way._ 'You've got bedhead. Love you.'  _The letters were hurried, thoughts written blindly. The paper was slightly crumpled, as if Maddie had almost thrown it away but ultimately it had rested on her phone, an open and vulnerable slice of Maddie's heart on display._

_Maddie didn't say the words aloud, it was always hinted at or teased about or drawn out of Sophie herself -'You love me'-, but she felt it and saw it in the girl. And she didn't mind their shared, quiet tenderness. Rather loved it actually. As if the need to say the words wasn't great because they just_ knew _._

_It was the morning after Christmas and she woke to Maddie gone once more, sleepily recalling the girl say she would get up and go grab them breakfast in the morning. Blindly reaching for her phone, she felt the familiar crumple of paper and grinned into her -well, Maddie's- pillow. She propped herself up on her elbow and brought the note into view._

_She let out a laugh that sounded caught in a sob. But it was just her heart rising in her chest and thudding painfully at the base of her throat. Because quiet love had the most unreserved effect._

 

'You are bonkers.

And I love you.

-Your Mads'

 

.o.o.o.

 

Sophie's breathing was a bit less suffocating as she heard from her dad that her mum was alright, she was okay. Bumps and bruises and some scrapes, but she'd be fine. And she was happy, overjoyed to hear it but... Maddie.

All she knew was that she was somewhere other than where her mum was and she needed to go to her. Because she was crumbling in fear and a darkness was seeping back into her mind. Thoughts running away with the worst of things. Of a fading Maddie and a sharp ache was taking her. She couldn't lose her.

 

.o.o.o.

 

“ _Oh behave. I'm tryin' to help you here, now get your flamin' shirt off.” Sophie laughed loudly into her pillow as Maddie was most likely rolling her eyes as she spoke again. “Soph, it's an innocent massage and your shirt's in the way. Now move.”_

_Still grinning, Sophie pushed herself up enough to peal her shirt off and toss it to the floor, resting her naked torso back down. She hummed softly as Maddie settled herself over her lower back and chuckled at the light, admonishing slap to her shoulder. But she quickly relaxed as Maddie pressed the palms of her hands firmly along her spine._

_She'd been tired lately, body aching(probably from stood slouched over the register counter instead of sitting or standing properly) and Maddie had noticed. Maddie had offered a massage that night over tea, Sophie tried to wave it off but quickly decided it might actually help. They waited until they went up to bed, Sophie hoping it would help ease her to sleep since she'd been having some trouble with the aches at night._

_Maddie had strong hands, she knew this, but she hadn't realized they'd feel so wonderful on her sore shoulders. She was quickly softening, unbending an yielding to Maddie's hands. Every muscle in her body relaxed, not just the ones beneath capable fingers, and her breaths were slow and deep as they took on the rhythm of Maddie's movements. She never felt so relaxed or at ease, can't remember a time she felt so... serene. With hands warming her back and Maddie's weight at her hips, she felt she could stay there for ages._

_And it felt as if she did._

_But then hands turn gentle, smoothing out the firmer strokes of before and turning to trace patterns along her spine and shoulder blades. Sophie could only hum, dazed. A hand pushed her hair over her shoulder, exposing her neck to light fingers. Then hair brushed her opposite shoulder and lips were pressed to her neck, a straying hand sliding along her ribs. Sophie smiled, warm._

“ _Thought this was innocent,” she mumbled, eyes still closed._

“ _Couldn't be helped.” It was a soft murmur, the vibrations rumbling through to her heart. Because those words..._

_Lips continued along her shoulder, hands running along her back and Sophie was_ alert _. She tried to turn over but the girl above stopped her with a hand to her shoulder and words so sweetly candid._

“ _This is still about you.”_

_And she didn't think she's ever heard those words spoken to her in bed and she was breathless in the tone of devotion. Body and heart and_ soul _accepting, she eased back into the bed and let Maddie continue her tender touches and faithful kisses. She's never felt so_ wanted _. So precious to someone else. Maddie's ease of showing such affection, her open comfort for loving her, filled her with a heavy and lifting light._

_It seemed Maddie wanted to -needed to- cover her entire back and arms with kisses before leaning back down to her ear, kissing just behind her ear(Sophie knew Maddie knew just how much that affected her) and lightly said, “Okay, no you can turn over.” And she sounded as breathless as Sophie felt. Just from adoring her. And Sophie felt weightless._

_Maddie lifted to allow the shift and Sophie felt her body move like liquid as she turned, warm and floating. They were both smiling as Maddie rested back over her hips, but Maddie's faded as eyes turned deep, gliding over Sophie's very existence. At least that's how it felt. Those eyes..._

“ _Soph...” the words drifted off as hands smoothed over her twitching stomach and up her sides. “You're proper gorgeous, you are.”_

_Lighter, lighter, brighter._

_She reached up and brushed fingers along a heated cheek to slip into loose, soft hair. “So are you. Mads.” And she was. Especially in these exposed moments. But the girl was always so softly striking, no matter her mood or look, always a breath richer in every instance Sophie saw her._

_Maddie shook her head. “I mean it, Soph. This is about you.” Sophie could tell Maddie wasn't exactly brushing off Sophie's compliment(she seems to have started to accept them from Sophie, at least when they were alone in their bed together) but she still gripped her hair softly, firmly looking her in the eye._

“ _And I'm about_ you _.”_

_Maddie gave in with a smile, head shaking as her eyes lit with a new yet just as bright light. And as Maddie came to hover just above her, Sophie wondered how much lighter two individuals could be._

 

.o.o.o.

 

Sophie wasn't exactly sure how she found her -who she asked, what halls she walked- but she had found her. And just seeing her gave her a breath. But it was cold in her lungs as her fiery, cheeky girl lay still in a hospital bed.

Drawing closer, she ran a light finger along Maddie's hairline, sweeping any stray hairs away and behind her ear. At least she didn't appear too beat up, some cuts and bruises like her mother. And she'd heard -vaguely and in a daze- that Maddie would be just fine as well. But she hated seeing her like this in this place. Maddie herself had said she'd been their countless times before and Sophie didn't want that to continue. But at least now she was there for her to wake up to and to take care of her after.

She sat in a chair next to the bed and took Maddie's soft, warm, strong hand in hers. And she waited. Restless for her girl but content to at least have her in her sights now.

 

.o.o.o.

 

“ _Com'on, hurry up.” It was getting late and she was cold and grumpy and Maddie was taking ages to get in bed._

“ _Alright, alright. Needy,” Maddie teased as she swiftly took off her shirt and pulled on a bigger, comfier one._

_Sophie felt antsy and restless; it had just been one of those days that got under her skin and irritated the living hell out of her. And she hadn't even gotten any proper time with her girlfriend yet that day what with Maddie having to work overtime at the factory, tea with her dad and Jack, and then her mum and Tim were over and it was just one of those situations they couldn't escape or relax._

_Maddie crawled under the comforter Sophie held open for her and, settling in, Sophie was quick to wrap herself around the chuckling girl's back._

“ _What's with you?”_

_Sophie just took a deep, calming breath of_ Maddie _and eased into their bed. “Just needed this.”_

_A pause. “This?”_

_She buried her face in the back of Maddie's neck, heart slowing. “You.”_

_There was a stutter that went through Maddie, barely even physical but Sophie could tell. Maddie still seemed to find it hard to believe Sophie actually needed her. But Sophie had come to realize some time ago that she did. The girl soothed her in the way a storm turned to quiet, gentle mists. With all Maddie's rough vibrancy, also came a soft warmth. And Sophie got to see that, feel that, and her heart thrummed in time with the girl in her arms._

_Calm. Warm. Whole. She, sweetly entwined and in-tune with Maddie, kissed the freckle at the shoulder before her. Hugging her tighter, she laid another kiss to her ear._

“ _Yes, Mads, I need you.”_

 

.o.o.o.

 

“Maddie, I really need you to wake up.” Her words were hushed in the air about them. “I just need to... need to really know you're alright.”

She'd been sat there for some time and her body was sinking in mental exhaustion and her emotions were frayed. Both hands holding Maddie's one, she just watched and watched and watched. Because Maddie was the one. Maddie was _her one_ and she was a mess of irrational yet locked up anxiety.

Fingers twitched beneath hers.

“Maddie?”

Was she seeing things? Feeling things? Were her eyes fluttering and hand shifting or was she that drained of mind?

“Mads, _please._ ”

And then those eyes she loved to her very bones were flicking over to her.

“Soph.”

She could breathe again.

 


End file.
